


Sea and Silk

by Vantani



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - No Sgrub Session, Dubious Consent, F/F, Feeding Kink, Homestuck - Freeform, It smells of slavery stuff but it really isn't, Jadeblood Worldbuilding Stuff, Kanaya is still put into a position she doesn't fully consent to, Kanaya's of age though, Multi, NSFW, Stuffing, There's a lot of worldbuilding lmao, Weight Gain, petplay?, she consents to the other stuff but be warned
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-04-26
Packaged: 2019-04-28 01:07:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14438172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vantani/pseuds/Vantani
Summary: Kanaya is a jadeblood, and that means when she turns six sweeps and her lusus dies, she's swept into the Brooding Caverns in a difficult dirty mess of a life; it doesn't help that her horns and sign alert every older troll that her Ancestor was an infamous rebel, and for three sweeps she's tried to fit into this new life to little success. When one morning a strange highblood comes down to the Caverns, asking for a bunch of young jadebloods, Kanaya will find herself thrust into another life, and another set of circumstances, when Her Imperious Condescension wants a new pet to dote on and show off. How bad can it be?





	Sea and Silk

**Author's Note:**

> While this is my first fic on here, it's not my first fic period. I've been int he fandom awhile though, and writing longer, so here I am!.  
> There are also pretty much all OCs in here, aside from Kanaya and Condy. They aren't super important and in the way, but expect that, though it's in the best interest for the longevity of this fic, and to mix things up. This chapter's purpose is to set up the universe and worldbuilding and the like, since it's a no-sgrub timeline and all. c:
> 
> I appreciate feedback!

Kanaya knew one thing, and that was if she truly wanted to leave, she would. Everyone else would have agreed, most likely; she was not exactly the most popular jadeblood in the Brooding Caverns - it was a situation she didn’t exactly ask for, anyway. One would figure the Head Matron and her Elders would make an exception that allowed the troublesome Maryam to go free, and give everyone some peace. 

She got up from her bunk, each bed made of carefully carved stone, with a mattress and a blanket to keep her somewhat comfortable. Not ideal, but not horrendous. Still, the suffocating lack of sunlight was the worst part, and Kanaya delayed getting up and starting the day of grueling chores to remember how good she had it before all of this. 

You see, not many jadebloods hatch on Alterna. Lusii tend to be just as rare, so some special cases happen. Kanaya was one of the few to not only have a lusus, (a completely unique one at that), but one that desired to raise her outside of the Caverns. Others do not get picked by a lusus, not officially, and a brooding mother grub may temporarily take the grub in until a suitable adult jadeblood may take them as an apprentice. The luckiest are chosen by a lusus that is of a species lurking in the caves, that also chooses to remain in the caves. This last one is the most ideal, but regardless, Kanaya knew she would have benefited from growing up down here. 

At least, considering her inevitable fate of servitude so deep underground. 

Jadebloods entering the Caverns later, typically at seven sweeps, or earlier if their lusus dies, are entered into training just as late. Things that very young jades learn early on and continue at a regular pace, hive-raised jadebloods must furiously catch up to learn. Kanaya knew first hand that these individuals were often looked down upon, difficult to teach, stubborn and seen as not as intelligent. 

Kanaya finally got up, thinking of her lusus, the Virgin Mother Grub, with her beautiful wings and soft disposition, and of the sunlight that always filled her vision, as well as her blood. It was relaxing, and comforting, to have that presence with her. But at six sweeps, she died, and Kanaya was ushered to the Brooding Caverns by an adult jadeblood sent to keep an eye on her. She was crying, covered in jade blood, going through the entrance with a Matriorb clutched in her hands on the first day down there. 

No one looked at her normally, after that. One doesn’t just stumble into the Caverns with a Matriorb in their possession. Even though it was quickly taken and sent to incubators to care for the baby mother grub inside, Kanaya immediately obtained a reputation of being odd.

Oh, right, and her ancestor being the most infamous jadeblood rebel in known history didn’t help her reputation with the adults, either. One girl can only take so many evil eyes from grizzly old blood sucking ladies, after all.

The thin blanket slipped off of her equally thin shoulders, feeling the ache of almost three sweeps grueling work of the body and mind eat away at her. Kanaya noticed that there wasn’t a single jadeblood, with the exception of the Head Matron and some of her Elders, with any bit of healthy weight. The young especially were sharp, angled, frail yet constantly burning and scrabbling with one another. They were not about to collapse of starvation, but it was enough to keep them alert and willing to fight. Even the ones originally from the surface coming down, should they have any extra fat to them, quickly lose it down here. It burns, never to be gained again, for the food was only just nourishing enough and bland, and any extra energy was used as soon as it was obtained. 

Kanaya remembered looking in the mirror a few times on the surface, seeing her soft cheeks, her shiny hair, eyes not glazed over. That seemed ages ago, now, and she mentally likened herself to a wilting flower as she got up, finally. Just in time, too. The alarming bell rang throughout the various sleeping quarters of the young jadebloods, which was really just an older Drinker given a gong and a heavy stick to hit it with, going down the halls. 

She must have a glorious time doing that, Kanaya thought, looking around at the entrance to the room she was in, a collection of bunks, and the green robes that vanished down the hall outside connecting other similar rooms. Her own room was not very crowded, and a few other alcoves stirred with squirming young jadebloods, most of which shorter and even more wiry than Kanaya herself. They didn’t even get decent cocoons to sleep in. No slime, to ensure they were alert and willing to get up as soon as possible to escape the terrors.

Unable to ignore the inevitable any longer, Kanaya leaves along with the others in her room, down the dorm tunnels, down others that connect to larger passageways. The Caverns were a maze of tunnels and paths, spanning many many miles underground, though sections of it were left barren for many centuries. Kanaya had heard stories about these old tunnels, but somehow like so many sheep, she and her peers were lead in a small herd down designated tunnels, and never anywhere new. 

There were not many young jadebloods here. While the Caverns had the highest concentration of jadebloods on the entire planet, they were still a precious few, with a minimum of a hundred, and a maximum of a few hundred; still very few compared to the many hundreds of millions,even billions with the adults, on the surface and in the galaxy. 

Still, she felt herself ushered by the small collection of bodies, most shorter than her, most with the outline of their horns sticking up over their heads, as though guiding the way. Kanaya knew this first part of the day wasn’t the worst, but neither was it better. One of the rooms she passed, though, held an interesting sight. Not very normal. A light was on, and Kanaya saw the brief flash of what she thought was violet boots, and the gnarled staff of the Head Matron in the same room. She had no time to hear what they were saying, but the mere sight of that intrigued her. 

After a time, as Kanaya was processing that, the tunnel they were in suddenly opened up into a considerably larger cavern, mostly dark, aside from the clusters of eerily glowing patches on the ceiling to allow for a bloodless, cold light. It illuminated the bustle of other bodies within, a mixture of adults and apprentices, Elders, and all roles in between. Us on earth would consider it a mess hall, of sorts, where the majority of the jadebloods take their first meal of the day - often their only one. 

A row of adult jadebloods, perhaps just finishing their training, stared at the gaggle of younger ones that Kanaya was apart of. Kanaya noted while their stares weren’t cruel, they were especially challenging - as though their seating were being checked. Even down here, with no blood color to denote status, the hierarchy was strict, and even seating in this hall had its own order, and never mixed. This was also for the safety of the young and unturned, for even newly turned Rainbow Drinkers are dangerous, and the pecking order of the Cavern requires the stronger are higher up in the chain.

So, in short, Kanaya thought, the placid gentle eager-for-love jadeblood often found in romance novel cliches was a bit far from the truth. As a unit, her peers sat at a stone table carved from the floor - everything was stone, nearly, and while well built it was crude. She lamented the lack of only that hard stone to sit on as she sat, and found her eyes drifting to an area where some considerably older jadebloods were. She was not the only group of young apprentices, as a few others milled in from other passageways opening around the larger cavern.

Kanaya was nearly an adult, herself. The majority of those in her little unit were considerably younger, but all had the same experience, same place in the hierarchy. Perhaps that’s why this jade stared? Could be, a lot did. However, she briefly looked up in the direction of Kanaya’s horns, to the left slightly, and a scowl came on the aged troll’s face - looking at my horns, evidently, Kanaya thought.

That was often the case, too, at least with the older auxiliatrices. Her ancestor was infamous, and word dripped down her “ghastly actions” severely impacted the future of the Caverns, to say the least. It was apparently bad enough for said accusations to fall on Kanaya herself. 

Staring back would be a bad idea. While said adult jadeblood had no need to assert her strength over a young apprentice, an excuse wouldn’t be needed. Kanaya, however, did not want to be the first dominance tussle of the day, and averted her eyes respectfully. Would this troll be a Rainbow Drinker, Kanaya knew, she’d have to lift up her chin and expose her throat, to definitely say to the starer that “I am not a threat, and you are superior to me”, but thankfully for a couple hours she could avoid that embarrassment. 

After that, the morning flew. Morning, evening, time of day has no place in the Caverns. But whatever it was, Kanaya felt the time pass, like water through her fingers, or the sickly sludge in the stone bowl in front of her. It looked no better in the eerie fungal lighting. Everyone said this was porridge, apparently, but real porridge had to be better than this. In this state, its primary use was to nourish - it had to be effective, anyway, barely anyone ate it, and no one has dropped dead from malnourishment yet. That’s a bit unfair, she supposed, it wasn’t horrible - merely tasteless, and full of grit. One can’t blame her, as she could remember the warm gush of fresh ripened fruit, and nectar, and all the myriad of wonderful things the planet produced for eating in her youth. 

So yes, going from that, to this, was a culture shock to say the least. Kanaya did her best to eat some of it, and continued to mess with it using her utensil, the eerie silence of the hall as a backdrop for her thoughts. She mentally went back to the image of some strange troll talking to the Head Matron. In the Caverns, this is not that rare a sight - every now and then the Empress, or some of her advisors, sends someone down to have them adhere to a new law, check populations and the effectiveness of the trials, and all of that. Even though Kanaya was new, she’d seen it before. 

As though reading her thoughts, a sudden noise pierced the quiet, the lack of voices in the hall making footsteps and a small cough very audible. Kanaya followed the creak of fabric as many necks peered up to glance at an entrance, a strange troll occupying it, as well as one of the Elders next to him. 

HIs expression denoted someone previously reasonably confident in his position, but suddenly soured into nervousness at seeing at least one hundred pairs of gold and orange eyes staring, like so many eager carrion birds - with some of them possibly genuinely considering him a meal. After a minute to regain the composure he thought he previously had, the strange highblood pressed a small console on his wrist, and a translucent screen came up, with names and other information Kanaya was too far away to make out.

Weirdly, though, the Elder spoke first, and despite her unusually small stature, had complete and utter confidence in the way her arms opened to embrace the crowd, and the conviction in her voice. 

“We have been visited by one of Her Highness’s chief entertaining advisors, and by the consent and decree of our Head Matron Pyridaen, long live the Head Matron, and request unanimous attention and response to all, and the trolls he was commanded to summon.” The sleeves on her elaborate robes, denoting her status, did indeed flutter in the movement of her arms for there was no wind in the caves. 

This made the highblood even more uncomfortable, and Kanaya saw the flicker of fins at the side of his face. He stepped beside the Elder after her announcement, especially as she saw fit to say a few more satisfactory traditional statements. 

“As previously stated, yes, I am here with summons. Royal summons, in fact, for a few young jadebloods to be processed. Not in any painful way, of course, but please get up and follow myself and your Elder when your name is called. The rest of you, continue on with your day, and wait for your peers to return,” he said all the while looking at his translucent screen. Technically he was still looking at the crowd, but not as clearly as before, to avoid the burning gold eyes of the jadebloods. 

Names. Kanaya squinted and tried to make them out, to see if any were hers. They were all mirrored, though, and she was far away in the hall. Evidently, though, she wasn’t looking too hard. While it’d be nice to get out of here, it would be less than ideal if she were tossed out of the frying pan and into the ocean, or something. That’s not how that goes, she thought, and mulled over her butchering of that saying when she started to hear names. She turned to a young jadeblood next to her and murmured, “that’s not very encouraging, I’d say. What do you think is the purpose behind it?”

The other jadeblood let some of the gruel dribble back into her bowl and whispered back: “who knows. I just hope I’m not picked, I’ve just started impressing my mentor with temperature control for newly hatched grubs, and don’t want that all suddenly ripped from me for something a seadweller wants.”

“You and me both, the ‘hoping I don’t get selected’ part,” Kanaya replied.

“Trigid Padjeh, Aaksir Phenin, Linyir Iothin,” he read off, going down the list, barely pausing. The trolls called started to stand, quietly, some with anxiety plain on their faces, others resolute and stoic against an unknown fate. “Helnga Ardyen, Prodya Siesre, and Kanaya Maryam.”

Kanaya pauses, looking at the group of other standing trolls. It didn’t dawn on her first, but that was certainly her name being called. She also, just as soon noticed that after her name was called, the vast majority of eyes were on her. Shakily she stood, feeling the weight of all those gazes weighing her down, where not as many were on the other jadebloods standing. A few more names were called, but the jadeblood didn’t hear, so possessed she was in thinking of her own fate. The jadeblood next to her bit her lip anxiously, apologetically, looked up at Kanaya once and then seemed very interested in her breakfast.

The eyes continued to mostly follow her as the seadweller ushered the called jades into the entrance he was occupying, and Kanaya looked to get a last glance at the older jadeblood who glared at her just little while before, seemingly forever ago now. The fungal glow of the mess hall went behind them, as they were plunged into the darker tunnel. The only light was from the highblood’s console, until the Elder suddenly made herself glow, filling the hall with an even eerier light than in the mess hall. 

After the young jades, including Kanaya, were momentarily awed by the Drinker’s beautiful glow, they were pushed into an equally as awe-inspiring part of the Caverns, after a while of walking. 

It was more vast than the the mess hall, and much better decorated. The entire room was like an atrium, with the main centerpieces a series of large ornate chairs spiraling upwards to the ceiling. Kanaya counted six, and then one at the very top, each seat framed by tough Cavern plants, some flowers and intricately carved stone. Engravings of a language she did not know lined the spiral steps leading up to each seat, and on various parts of the walls. The walls, by the way, were made of the stone in the rest of the Caverns, but inlaid with colorful crystals and gemstones, namely the incredibly rare Alternian jade of which they were named after. 

Kanaya for a moment forgot about why she was here. She could only linger on the space in this great Cavern, the color, and even the small shaft of sunlight from the ceiling - she did not know it, but it did not open immediately to the surface, and instead an elaborate array of mirrors in the vast ceiling brought down a shaft of light right upon the highest and most ornate chair. But she didn’t care about that, she stared at that bit of sunlight like it was the most beautiful thing. Suddenly, though, the stairs became occupied. 

The Elder that guided them down here was gone, and Kanaya spotted her going up the steps to one chair, and five other Elders did the same. All in various shapes and sizes, varying in age (though all quite old), some Rainbow Drinkers, others not, these were the Elders presumably deciding their fate. That was their way. The Council of Elders, along with the Head Matron decided what laws were to be in the Caverns, within reason, without denying the Empire, but under the earth they were powerful all the same. The assembly of young jadebloods shuffled anxiously, looking up and around, and looking down at the intricate pattern on the floor extending in a circle, that eerily matched with the spiralling atrium up above them. Kanaya did not know the purpose of the design, but knew it had some deep symbolism, maybe of how all life was connected or something.

Finally all were assembled and sat, and only then did the Head Matron show herself. 

Matriarch Pyrdaen was the oldest Drinker any of them had seen in ages, possibly. She was also the strongest, as is the requirement for the Matron, and she’d been unchallenged for at least a hundred sweeps. Her form, tall and imposing, accentuated by the wild mane of black hair going down her shoulders and back, made her way up the tallest steps to the highest chair. Despite her obvious power, the ancient Drinker leaned heavily on the tall and yet gnarled staff that denoted her position, an intimidating looking thing with a giant piece of Alternian jade at the tip, and bronze around it in the shape of the sun. Despite the height at which she sat, Kanaya could see all this clearly. 

When the Head Matron sat, the shaft of light reflected off the jingling array of crystal jewelry she was wearing, so that a small shaft of light touched each seat each Elder sat at. It mirrored the pattern on the floor, that of a circle with various interconnected points, and the symmetry made Kanaya shiver. Jadebloods had been sent to death, here, or prescribed other horrible fates.

“I know why you are there, though you are not certain yourselves. Fear not, today many fates shall branch out; not all of them horrible, some pleasant, and many the same. The Royal Ambassador here has made his request from his orders, and I know precisely he wants, and the terms proposed,” the Matriarch spoke. Her voice carried easily in the vast cavern, and Kanaya couldn’t tell if it was because of the ancient Drinker’s power, or the make of the room. She also thought back to the sight she saw earlier that morning, of the Matriarch conferring with a troll in purple boots. The same their ambassador friend wore. Hmmm.

“As such,” Pyridaen continued, “it pains me greatly to say that one of you will have to leave today. We do not part easily with our rare caste members, but it is for a cause that of which cannot be ignored.” She turned to address her Elders below her, and continued, “we are to vote on the most suitable jadeblood to leave this day. The requirements are as follows on the message I’ve provided you at your place of seating - with the priority being the least likely to negatively impact the rest of the Caverns.”

Kanaya looked over at her nervous peers, shuffling, anxious. She noticed they were all of similar age, adults yet young, quite pretty conventionally, and somewhat new to the Caverns. That raised a few red flags, of course. 

The actual assembly was rather boring. The Elders talked to one another, for all to hear, saying a name and listing off how long she’d been in the Caverns, the current level in training, connections, and living lusus. Each time, the ambassador would occasionally chime in, and the Elders would shake their heads, grumble and move onto the next name. Kanaya had a sneaking suspicion of what this purpose, was - why else would a highblood request a group of young, attractive jadebloods to be picked from for some purpose in royalty?

Kanaya felt a little sick, until she heard her name called again.

“Kanaya Maryam,” an especially whispy looking Elder said. She said “Maryam”, like she’d found a snake in her underwear. “A recent addition, no lusus, and behind in her training.”

“Are we really going to have this discussion about her? I say, we bloody vote on it already, and get it done with. Her Ancestor was scum, and we’d do well to be rid of her,” another one said from across the atrium. Kanaya got a good look at her. Kind of scarred, barely any hair, heavy rings on her old fingers. She didn’t feel exactly good about those comments, but she waited to hear the rest of the responses. 

“I must concede,” Matron Pyridaen interrupted, her voice much calmer compared to the previous Elders, “that Kanaya is not… a terribly required individual in our ranks. But Helnga is also a late arriver new into her studies.”

Kanaya remembered it was basically down to those names, and all were in the clear, and she bit her lip nervously. She didn’t know Helnga, but could pick her out, a troll with fairly straight horns also biting her lip in an equally fearful expression.

“If I may, just for a moment,” the ambassador interrupted as well, “the Empire is being greatly inconvenienced by this steadfast assertion of slowness. We are kind enough to allow you the choice, but I must stress how imperative it is to come to a decision; I did not think jadebloods as unchanging as the rocks their blood is named from.”

The Head Matron suddenly stopped, and glowered, looking very much like the fiercest predatory bird with her golden eyes, down at the ambassador. Kanaya saw him pale visibly, and shrink back, muttering apologies and remembering the upturned chin gesture that denoted appeasement. Hard to help, anyway, looking up at the highest seat. 

“As I was getting at, my guest - those who vote Helnga out, douse your light,” Pyridaen continued. In response, three Elders turned a bronze lid over the little alcove the reflected light hit their chairs, and thus averted the light, “dousing” it. The others did nothing. “Those in favor of Kanaya being selected, please do the same.”

Like clockwork, all he rest of the lights were doused, and Kanaya felt her stomach fill with dread, and plummet down to her knees. It was even, and up to Pyridaen to decide, or the ambassador - the second of which, actually, was commanded, as the Matron asked their guest his opinion. 

“I… also concede. She seems perfect for our intentions, and especially if her absence does not collapse the Brooding Caverns -” he started. 

“Take her! It’s decided,” another Elder called. “We don’t need another one of her, we don’t need another purging of laws and lives! You’d be doing us a favor.”

Kanaya really understood why she never felt welcome, then. In the face of all this, she abandoned her nervous expression and did her best to appear stoic - Helnga seemed more at ease, now.

The Matron’s expression changed, and she nodded, thumping her staff on the ground six times, and calling out. “Kanaya Maryam, young apprentice, Afternoon arriver, you hereby get permission in the form of required expulsion from the Brooding Caverns. Your return is not confirmed, and perhaps never will be. May you never waver, may the shadows fall behind you, and may the great Mother Sun show you the best path.”

“That sure is a lot of formality, when your true statement is a very kind ‘piss off’,” Kanaya found herself saying. Her voice was scratchy from lack of use, but still certainly annoyed.

Almost all at once, each Elder, including the Matron, stiffened. Most clutched their chests in shock, and the one with many heavy rings snarled out:

“You’d do best to mind your tongue, welp. Less crass than you have had their tongues removed for such insolence.”

Kanaya was about to open her mouth to reply, when the ambassador interrupted her, “I’m certain she meant no harm, of course. Besides, impromptu removal of any of Kanaya’s anatomy may upset who she is to go to, with immense consequences.”

So she is going to someone. Kanaya scowled, imagining herself in the company of some old crusty highblood, and shivered. Helnga seemed to notice the expression, and her face showed a pretty good amount of sympathy. The most anyone has shown Kanaya in ages.  
“Thank you,” Kanaya whispered, so that the Elders couldn’t hear over the new aghast discussion. “I don’t mind, anyway. Wherever I’m going, at least I’ll be appreciated.” She wasn’t certain of her own words, but Helnga nodded, and stepped back into the crowd of quivering young jadebloods.  
“Peace,” the Matriarch mumbled, “enough, all of you. We have decided, and so it shall be. Ambassador, you may take Kanaya as is your assignment, and let us be. Kanaya, I must implore you again, heed my blessing, and remember the rest of us in your heart whereever you may go. Yusvah, send Azlrah to collect her things, and put it on the ambassador’s ship.”

There was something genuinely sincere in the old Drinker’s eyes. Kanaya could see it from where she stood, and as the seadweller lead her away, she turned back to stare at Pyridaen’s expression. It was tired and almost weary, and the young jadeblood thought she could read what that face tried to say - that she saw potential in her, and loathed being under such a system that puts everyone under the whims of the Empire. That one more of her young jades must go into an uncertain future, instead of one of purpose and security.

It tugged at Kanaya’s heart. She nodded at the Head Matron, as though to acknowledge, but didn’t see the response, as she was turned away and swept into another tunnel, and away from the Caverns, possibly for good. 

It was a long trip, the tunnel gently sloping upward. They were both guided by another Rainbow Drinker, through the maze of tunnels meant to confuse intruders. A stone wall met their path, and their guide traced runes on one section of the wall, seemingly random, and a perfect slab of rock slid open. They stepped out into a smaller cave that opened outside, but the Drinker did not follow Kanaya and the ambassador. Instead, she bowed her head and murmured to Kanaya, “Sun guide you, young Maryam,” and vanished behind the closing slab. That was also a relatively nice thing said to her, and it made this departure slightly more upsetting. 

Looking back at where the entrance was, there was no indent, no flaw in the stone that would denote an entryway. When Kanaya and the ambassador exited the small cave, she noticed that there were many, many small cave outcroppings like this one in the semi-desert of their surroundings. Sand and gravel scrunched under their feet, and she looked ahead of her to a somewhat large red ship. Big enough to be imposing, but small enough to be for travel mostly on the planet. Before she stepped on, though, two burly bluebloods came out first - one held handcuffs, the other a blindfold, but both looked equally intimidating.

“Have no fear, Kanaya. This is precaution. Matron Pyridaen requested you be blindfolded so you are not aware of the path back to the Caverns, and royal asset transportation policy demands you be somewhat bound, for your safety, and the safety of the crew. Cooperate, and no harm will come to you,” the ambassador said in his somewhat stuffy voice. 

And just like that, Kanaya was cuffed, put in a blindfold, and lead toward the ship.  
“Not exactly what I’d call welcoming, but who am I to question the infallible wisdom of the royal asset transportation policy?” 

The ambassador blinked, and then sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose. Why did he have to get the sassy one? This would be awkward if she had to be returned because of that attitude. Regardless, he followed Kanaya being carried (firmly yet gently) away by the bluebloods, onto the ship. Kanaya could not see where she was, but she could feel herself being lowered onto a comfortable, yet constricting seat, even for one of her scrawny stature. Still bound, she resisted the urge to struggle. Where would she go if she escaped, anyway? The Caverns rejected her, and the wilds were cruel to the young and naive. 

The journey was fairly smooth, after the initial takeoff. Kanaya could sense herself being lifted into the air, and it was only an hour later when her blindfold was taken off. A simple cockpit was revealed to her, with windows, a control panel operated by some troll she didn’t recognize, and the ambassador sitting in a chair not too far from her. She looked left, then right, at the two bluebloods sitting in seats opposite her. 

She was behind the seadweller, but could get a look at more of his features. Short hair, sloping horns, violet jacket and boots. Very basic. He turned to look at her, and he appeared older than Kanaya originally thought - his face was marred with wrinkles and agelines, as well as a white scar going down one cheek.

“You’re in a generous position, though, considering. You must be terrified out of your mind, wondering what your fate is, and those jadebloods didn’t make it very exciting. All dread. I will clear some of this up for you, Kanaya.” Why was he doing this? Kanaya stared with an odd expression on her face, but he continued, “you are not being enslaved, not for labor at least. You are not a royal delicacy, and are otherwise in no imminent danger. Little will be expected of you, but I implore you to behave when we arrive at our destination, for both our hides.”

The eerie reddish glow of the inside of the ship framed the ambassador’s face weirdly, but Kanaya found herself slightly soothed. It was bittersweet. On one hand, she was leaving the Caverns, an awful place where she was less than welcomed, but on the other, she was probably going to be the concubine of some crusty old seadweller like this one. She continued to stare, but nodded after a minute. He seemed to be satisfied with that, turned around, and watched Alternia pass by. Windows were in front, on the sides, and below, and Kanaya occupied herself with looking at the rushing landscape. 

It wasn’t long before the sea came into view, and Kanaya got a glimpse of a sprawling palace built into the side of an incline at low tide. It was a structure of which its scale was not entirely shown, and she could barely get a glimpse at anything besides the spires sticking out of the water. The angle at which the ship pulled in obscured most of her view, and the next change of view after landing was a steady lowering into the sea on a platform. 

Of course they were going underwater. Kanaya bit down her momentary fear of the water coming up against the glass, and overtaking them. In a series of draining and paths opening, though, once they stopped their descent and were in another chamber, all was dry. Her escorting bluebloods picked her up by the arms again, keeping them close to her sides, and walked her off the ship, right behind the ambassador that lead them. 

The first thing Kanaya noticed as they left the indoor dock was the color of the halls. Expensive looking fixtures of purplish light hung from the ceiling, framing dark walls, and shadowy doors that she couldn’t tell if they were metal or wood, so intricate the designs. As before, the ambassador walked ahead of them, his boots gently clacking on the pristine marbled floors, inlaid with gold. Actually, most everything was inlaid with gold, wherever there was a crack, there were veins of gold running throughout - just daring someone to take a piece, and feel the wrath of the designer. 

Who else could have this much gold, Kanaya thought. She had no doubt of the opulence of royalty, but there were suspicions, of course. The violetblood guiding them kept moving down the halls, which gradually grew wider, and Kanaya was reminded of the tight winding tunnels of the Caverns. They weren’t this tacky and lavish, though. Especially not when they eventually come upon the biggest door Kanaya had ever seen, reaching almost to the high ceiling, and probably ridiculously big for anything to fit through. Maybe it’s a door for especially big lusii?

“We’re here. Now, before we enter, I must remind you again to behave. I don’t know how patient Her Imperious Condescension feels today, so it’d be best to hold your tongue for slightly longer than you’d typically be willing to. Am I perfectly clear?” Despite his grizzled appearance, the ambassador seemed to look more worried than ever. Kanaya almost felt bad for him, if she weren’t literally cuffed and held by two giant bodyguards, and probably about to be face to face with the most horrible troll that ever lived. It hadn’t dawned on her yet why they were seeing her. Still, she felt as such, because it must be a difficult position to anyone. This seadweller was also reasonably kind to her, at least warning her and trying to give comfort after being ripped away from the life she knew. 

As much as a seadweller could give, anyway.

“I’ll do my best,” Kanaya says simply, which seems to satisfy him enough that he sighs, and nods, and turns around to open the stupidly big doors. The room they lead to is equally as massive and opulent as anticipated, with equally high windows looking out to the sea. It was an eerie, underwater view, and cast a dark blue light into the room. Still lit by now pink-ish torches, Kanaya got a headache trying to wrap her mind around those mix of colors. It was cold, large, and imposing, and it took her a minute to notice the figure perched on a marble throne pretty far away. 

She was carried closer, to Her Imperious Condescension herself, sitting on this throne, checking her disturbingly long and decorated nails. She sat in the position of someone not accustomed to just sitting there and waiting, like her order of grubwurst was late, and she had other things to attend to. The footsteps of the ambassador and his bodyguards were muffled on the long fuchsia carpet leading up to the throne, and Kanaya felt her heart pound in her chest. 

Oh, god. It started to dawn on her. She wasn’t being given to the Empress, was she? Any sarcastic retort to the scenario was quickly swallowed by this realization. It didn’t feel real, anymore, perhaps she was still asleep in her cold bunk in the Caverns, waiting for that adult jadeblood to ring the gong and wake everyone up. She was set down a mere ten feet from the Condesce’s shining perfect heels, her imposing form draped in waves of dark hair that may as well be its own cartoonish villain’s cape. 

“My Empress, Your Greatest Majesty, I deliver your newest asset. She is from the Brooding Caverns, as you requested, and from the list you have provided,” the ambassador began. Kanaya eyed the back of his head, considerably lower than the Empress’s sitting form so she got an eyeful of both of them, and it became more drastic when he bowed. Somewhat. Kanaya assumed it was a gesture of deference, like lifting your chin to a more powerful Drinker. 

Her Imperious Condsecension paused in the inspection of her hand, and looked down at her guests, as though she were in no rush to do so. In an unsettling half minute, she just stared, her purplish eyes drifting from her ambassador, to the blueblooded bodyguards, to Kanaya kneeling on her carpet. Her brow furrowed. 

“Water’d I tell you, she’s not a _basset_. Why would I send you all the way out to that shithole for a _basset_? Come here, gill. Lemme take a look at you,” she almost hissed. Just about everything she said sounded malicious, but Kanaya would find out later that the fact she spoke instead of killed immediately was a positive. 

The jadeblood awkwardly shuffled forward, still without use of her hands, so it was a slow business of her flopping on her knees somewhat closer to the Empress. There was a sharp inhale through shark-like fangs, and Kanaya heard that same booming hissing voice from above. 

“An’ why in the shell is she still tide up? Where’s she gonna go?”

“Yes, your Condesce, I’m sorry, my Empress,” the ambassador stumbled. Despite his appearance, he stuttered through his releasing of Kanaya’s wrists. With a small electronic beep they popped off, from a console somewhere in the violetblood’s pocket. At the same time, the Condesce stood, considerably taller than anyone in the room - even the imposing bluebloods behind Kanaya. 

She had to be at least as big as Pyridaen, definitely more, the jadeblood thought, being forced to stare up at such a figure. If she weren’t so terrified, she’d totally retort with something amusing out loud. Kanaya did her best to show none of this, though, even as the most terrible troll to ever live closed the space between them and bent down to Kanaya’s level. Immaculately tipped fingers reached down, cupping the jadeblood’s chin, ever so slightly digging in. The Condesce turned Kanaya’s face left, then right, then up a bit, inspecting her like a ripened fruit, and searching for a bite. 

“Gotta say, though, whatever you did, you shore picked the prettiest gill on the list,” she said, and Kanaya could feel the Empress’ eerily cool breath on her cheek. 

“Of course, your Highness. Your instructions were crystal clear and perfectly understood as always, when you asked to ‘take this list, get ‘em all netted up, and see whichever one of those the old hagfishes can part with,’” the ambassador quoted, still nervous obviously, but clearly a little relieved. 

There was no immediate response, as Kanaya was continuously expected. Gently yet firmly urged to stand, the Empress’ expression flipped from pleased, to somewhat concerned, as though Kanaya wasn’t the utterly perfect specimen she wanted. It made the jadeblood’s heart thrum anxiously in her chest, and she feared those shark teeth would sense it, open up, and rip it out to devour. 

“Mmmhm,” the Condesce murmured, after pulling on Kanaya’s lips to inspect her fangs. Pointed, white, pretty immaculate, “I like her. Too damn scrawny, though - how in the shell do you expect me to show her off when she’s looking pike this?” The point was emphasized when those distressingly powerful hands squeezed at Kanaya’s upper arms, her side, a slightly painful gesture with how little was between her skin and the bones inside. Those hands could easily crush her, like so many twigs, and it was all Kanaya could do to keep from sweating all over those many rings and bracelets pushing into her flesh (or lack thereof). “S’ocray, though, I guess. There ain’t a single young gill in that snakehole with any meat on her.”

It looked like the ambassador was holding in another breath, purple in the face, until he let it out again and achieved a slightly more normal color. “That will be addressed, your Graciousness. She will meet your standards in no time, and then some, should you request it,” he said in a bit of a rush. Kanaya glanced at the trident behind the Empress, gold, looking slightly bruised in the blueish purple light. If not for the Condesce herself literally poking and prodding her, the trident would be enough of a threat on its own. 

“Yeah, yeah, just get on it. You haven’t disappointed me yet tideay, and I was sick of sitting here waiting for you to shoal yourself with my pet,” she replied, finally drawing away from Kanaya and giving her the most horrific smirk imaginable, to the jadeblood at least. 

Waking up in her bunk seemed so far away, now, and the old Drinkers staring at her with so much malice seemed nothing compared to this. The Condesce waved them away, and Kanaya was picked up again. 

A pet, Kanaya thought, trying to wrap her tired mind around the word. It was better than servant, or slave, or main course, but it still sent a chill through her. She would have to digest all of this to make better sense of if her fate is good or terrible, as she was carried out of the throne room, and up another path in the palace halls. At least she was no longer bound, and wondered why, aside from the fact where she was in the palace was entirely underwater. Either way, she was not a Rainbow Drinker, and had no hope of fighting back two bluebloods and a violetblood. She looked back, and noticed the ambassador stayed within the throne room, Kanaya seeing the flash of his purple boots vanish behind the closing doors. While no friend of hers, she felt a little sad, as he was with her the entire journey, and not actually that terrible of a person. 

Aside from the fact that he was sent to collect a pet for the Empress. That put a real damper on their relationship. 

“I can walk, you know. Maybe not as fast as you, but it could be managed. Where would I run, anyway? Hello,” Kanaya started, trying to get the two trolls’ attention. One of them turned his head, and actually looked rather young for someone his size, like someone took a flat tool and smoothed out his wrinkles. 

“Safety measure,” he rumbled. Despite the depth of his voice, it was no brutish snarl. It sounded very sophisticated, actually. “Easy to get lost in these halls. Wouldn’t want to wind up in the wrong quarters, would you milady?”

“No,” Kanaya conceded, “I suppose I wouldn’t. Colorful characters here in the palace, I take it?”

The other blueblood squeezed her arm once, not enough to hurt, but a very final request to stop talking, and she listened. Her mind was still in a whirl, trying to process the day, her position, and talking to these two wouldn’t help at all, so she was carried along down the pinkish marble light of the walls. 

The monotonous synchronization of her guards’ footsteps continued, almost putting her to sleep, when they turned and opened a door. She wasn’t looking up yet, dizzy from the constant drone of boots on marble, but Kanaya heard how heavy the door was when it fell shut - no way to move it if she wanted to. Peeking up briefly, Kanaya was met with yet more tyrian, but the lighting in this room was softer. It was as big, not anywhere near as big as the throne room, but the ceiling was still high and curved and there were long windows, with flowing red curtains covering them. They draped and somewhat connected to an equally immense bed - the soft platforms highbloods sometimes slept on like “civilized folk” - that would easily fill the entire floor of most small rooms in the Caverns. The same intricate swirls of carvings on the doors and walls were on the bedposts, the walls in the bedroom, on the lavish vanities and other furniture. The soft lighting made everything look like it was nestled in rose petals, not yet opened up, and Kanaya didn’t know what to think. 

“You’re to stay here. Don’t ask me how long, but the handmaidens assigned to you will be here shortly to see to you,” the first blueblood said, he and his partner dropping Kanaya onto the massive mattress. It was soft, pliant, and begged the jadeblood to lay down and sleep on it. She could scarcely believe this was really happening to her. “In the meantime, stay here. The door will be watched, and we will know if you leave.” HIs partner shrugged, gestured to the other blueblood, and they both left the room in an unsettling unison. 

“What handmaidens - oh,” Kanaya breathed as the heavy door shut behind them, "well, alright. I suppose this could be worse. I could be thrown into some dungeon, which come to think of it, cold stone pits underground are something I’m used to anyway.” Her hand glided over the sheets, spreading their sweet smell up to her nose, and the softness was unlike anything she’d felt. It could be silk, she didn’t know; the fabric was yet unknown to her. 

She sat there, admiring the make of the room, waiting. What else was there to do? Kanaya sat up and folded her arms, feeling reasonably dirty and stuck out in such a fancy lavish room, in her worn apprentice robes and dirty fingernails. As she thought of what in the world the handmaidens could be for, her door opened, and two trolls came in. The jadeblood was startled, and stared at the approaching figures, both of them empty-handed but evidently getting a very full look at her sitting there on the bed. 

“Look! Kinost was right! A real jadeblood in the palace,” one of them said with very obvious excitement. Her hair was in long curls that bounced with her quick energy, as did her billowing skirts. She didn’t look much older than Kanaya did at all, but her face might have just been ageless with its smoothness, and purple tint to her cheeks. Also a seadweller, Kanaya noticed, with slightly curved horns that were split on the ends, one split end slightly longer than the other. 

Her partner seemed a little less excited and said, with a bit more conviction, “yes, Isurus, I believed you when you first heard and squealed it to the nearest troll. Her being me, apparently.” She was shorter, in similar skirts to her partner, with straight hair tied back and horns that curved back almost lazily. While the sign on her outfit was purple, there were no fins on this one. “A pleasure to meet you. I believe your name was Kanaya?”

Kanaya blinked, forgetting that she was asked a question. She nodded, and started to get herself up out of the bed, before the seadweller Isurus moved to stop her. A hand went gently on the jadeblood’s thigh before she could stand up. 

“Hey, no need for that. Getting up would be exactly the opposite of what we were to make you do,” Isurus chirped. “I’m Isurus, and this is my friend Celyra.”

“The pleasure’s all mine,” Kanaya breathed. “I was told I was expecting handmaidens. That would be you, I’m assuming?”

“It’s honestly a relief that you still have your wits, after the day you’ve had. Yes, we are some of them,” Celyra replied. “Our job is to make you more presentable to the Empress, and to whoever she wants to show you off to. That also means we’ll help you settle here, so that anxious rigid spine you’re holding on the bed isn’t doing well for our specialized positions.”

Kanaya didn’t realize her posture, and quickly did her best to make it look more natural, to some success. “You don’t mind telling me what that entails, do you? I’ve honestly had my fill of being picked up and tossed around today, so some warning would be nice.”  
“Oh don’t worry about that,” Isurus cut in, “you don’t have to go far. The first step is usually draw a bath for you, and we were planning on just that! At least I am, because Celyra really is much better at the cooking part than anything else.” She gestured for Kanaya to rise, finally. 

Standing up was slightly hard out of such a soft mattress, but the jadeblood managed, and found herself a little shorter than both the highbloods. “I remember the Empress lamenting my size, so am I also right in assuming you will also… correct this?”

“Ideally, but don’t worry about that yet. We can’t immediately jump you into a lavish banquet and expect you to recover from that. I got reports you’re essentially starved, and too much too soon isn’t good on the body,” Celyra said. “Be gentle with her, Isurus, I’ll be back shortly.”

Kanaya watched the slightly stouter purpleblood leave, and turned back to the seadweller, somewhat confused. Isurus gently took hold of her charge’s hands and guided her - thankfully Kanaya could walk on her own this time - to the other side of the bedroom where another door was opened. She was greeted to the sight of a bathroom, portionally as big as a royal bathroom could be, with the same intricate decorations and a bathtub that could be its own pool, almost. She could smell the fancy soaps waiting to be used, all the delicate implements for heaven knows what. 

Isurus let go of Kanaya’s hands, turned around, and let hot water flow out of the faucet on one side of the huge tub. “Tell me dear, do you like lavender? Orange blossom? Honeysickle? These gels make lovely bubbles,” she asked while tending the water. 

“Do you have any desert flowers? I’m not sure which specific one to ask for exactly,” Kanaya said sheepishly. Who was she to ask for preferences? It startled her that she may get used to this lifestyle too soon. 

The seadweller looked up at the shelves of fancy materials, and picked out a bright red one from it. “I think this is bloodlilly, from the Western great desert. It grows in the oases there. It’s such a pretty flower, a shame its native habitat is such a dangerous place to visit, with the shadow droppers and everything.”

As soon as the mixture touched the churning water, Kanaya could smell it, and immediately felt a bit sick. That was a flower from her home, in the oasis, and she could picture being younger and smelling the fresh blooms in every color. The gentle thrum of her lusus’ wings was almost audible, as the water filled the bathtub and the bubbles rose. “It’s perfect,” the jadeblood whispered. 

Isurus’s fins fluttered with glee at the complement, and allowed the bath to run and fill. The system was rather efficient, and so the water level rose quickly despite its size. The steam clouded up the huge mirrors on the other side of the room, and the smell of hot water and flowery gel was intoxicating and relaxing to Kanaya. When all was said in done, the seadweller averted her eyes so her charge could undress, and only turned to look again when she’d lowered herself into the tub for some decency. 

“How does it feel?” Isurus asked. “Too hot? Too cold?”

The bubbles rose up to Kanaya’s neck, covering just about all of her body, and let her arms move through the steaming water. To many trolls it might be too hot, but to her, it was glorious, the hotter the better. She felt her muscles relax, and the sweet smell of blood lily, like a cross between a rose and pineapple on a warm summer day, soothed Kanaya more than she had been in sweeps. 

“I’ll take that as a good thing,” the seadweller continued. “I take it you don’t have many baths. Do you have baths down in the Caverns? I still can’t believe there’s a real actual jadeblood in the palace!”

Kanaya listened to her babble with a little bit of amusement and answered, “we clean ourselves yes, but this is a new experience for me I’m afraid.”

Isurus nodded eagerly, and her next question was a bit sheepish: “Well, I was going to offer to clean you, but I wanted to be sure you were okay with that.”

“Feel free. You’d also probably be curious to know that there are hot springs in the Caverns that we all wash ourselves in together, so being naked isn’t really a taboo with me. Or I guess, others seeing me naked. Not much to see, anyway,” Kanaya replied. It was a slight lie, the thought did make her a bit anxious, but she was thinking of the ambassador in the throne room, so afraid to make everything perfect for his Empress, and didn’t want this nice handmaiden to have the same fate. She probably knows what she’s doing, anyway, in cleaning others. 

Pleased, Isurus stepped forward, and started to undress, only enough so that her sleeves wouldn’t get wet, but her arms were long enough to do the job. She took out scrubbing cloths and long grooming combs, implements Kanaya was unfamiliar with and started to clean the jadeblood. 

The sensation was odd, someone else scrubbing at her skin, but not unpleasant. Isurus lifted Kanaya’s arms, made quick work of that, scrubbed her back, and seemed to get any nook and cranny without really meaning too. She found herself leaning back into the touches, and heard the seadweller giggle at the reaction. 

“Wow, you’re really not used to this huh? I didn’t know the Caverns were so tough on someone. There’s so much dirt under your nails…”

Kanaya felt a smaller implement gently brush and scratch at her nails, underneath, in the beds, getting out the filth. She never thought she was that dirty, but evidently enough for the handmaiden to spend some time cleaning in those small places. Kanaya was content to hear her babble, though, it was a nice sound to focus on. “I don’t mean to be rude, but gosh, you sure are skinny. Kinost wasn’t kidding when he told me.” The seadweller lifted her charge’s arm up again, and tsked at the row of ribs sticking out of her side, the the slightly prominent bumps of spine on her neck and back when Kanaya leaned over. “Are you all like this?”

“The ones in my age group, yeah,” Kanaya replied. “It’s complicated. She thought Isurus could tell that she wasn’t in too much of a mood to talk, and so acted on it. Occasionally still sucking through her teeth gently when the seadweller washed over Kanaya’s almost grizzled appearance, she gradually brushed away dirt, softened lines, eased bruises and cuts. Kanaya nearly fell asleep, during this, the steam putting her into a lull, until eventually it was over, and Isurus turned to hear the door to Kanaya’s main bedroom shut with a loud thump. 

“Ah, that must be Celyra with your dinner and clothes. The rags that came with you are still in your drawers should you need them, but clean skin requires clean dress! I’ll go and fetch them for you, and go help her,” the seadweller announced. She left Kanaya to soak as she left the steamy bathroom. A few moments later, it opened slightly again to allow a pile of fresh clothes to be placed on a small table by the door. 

Kanaya debated with herself how long she should stay in the tub. It was awfully comfortable, and the happiest she’d felt all day - including her waking up in the Caverns. That seemed ages ago, now, something happening to another person. It was easy for her to linger on the bath, allow time to stop, but they had dinner for her. Her body seemed to remember that she had eaten nothing that day, not even that bowl of “porridge” this morning, and let her know with a deep rumble from her stomach. 

“Oh, alright. I suppose this won’t be the only bath I have,” she mumbled, amused that she was now already using highblood words. Kanaya forced herself up, grateful that despite her lack of embarrassment Isurus allowed her some privacy. She really had been the kindest troll she’d encountered in a while, even if it was probably her job. After drying herself with a towel that felt extremely expensive and fluffy, the slap of her bare feet on tile brought her over to the pile of clothes. Lifting them up, they were simple white silk pajamas, button down, long sleeved and elegant. Her sign was etched onto the left breast, and she could recognize it was just done but didn’t mind. Of course, dressing herself, the fabric was exquisite on her freshly cleaned skin. 

Isurus and Celyra seemed surprised to find Kanaya walking out so early, apparently. They both looked up, peering over some plates in fancy dishes in a small cart by the bed. Pillows were fluffed so that the jadeblood could sit up and eat, and the handmaidens were busy trying to make a spread on the blankets look as nice as possible. “We didn’t expect you to be out for maybe another hour, we were preparing to keep the food warm for you,” Isurus chirped. 

“Uh, no, that’s alright. I was going to linger, but I was considerably hungrier than I anticipated. This sleepwear is excellent, by the way, you were right about clean skin and clean clothes,” Kanaya said while approaching them. 

“Excellent,” Celyra replied, “just sit right there on the bed. That’s it, lean back, not too far. I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I went with the basics.” The purpleblood held up a platter, and Kanaya examined it. It appeared to be like an especially large grubwurst baked into what was apparently puff pastry, and it smelled delightful. There were other smaller dishes in a semi circle around her, with plenty of room for the other two trolls to balance on the bed. “All you need do is open wide and chew. It would not please the Empress if you burnt any unnecessary calories feeding yourself.”

Kanaya was once more reminded of why she was here, but the relaxing bath and the promise of a warm meal seemed to push that aside one more time. Celyra cut a piece off, and speared a decent mouthful onto the fork. The juices from the meat glistened, and she fed the piece to the jadeblood who waited awkwardly with her mouth slightly agape. Appearances for once were not deceiving, as even that morsel was possibly the most amazing thing she’d ever tasted - even more so than the ripened fruit of her old oasis. Her little whimper of pleasure made the normally stoic troll smile. “I take it as good. If you have such a reaction to this, one of my most basic of dishes, I shudder to think of what gruel you normally consumed in the Caves. It’s flattering all the same,” the purpleblood murmured. 

Another piece was brought to her lips, and another, and once more the jadeblood found herself forgetting her situation, the context behind this incredible food and lavish quarters. The shark-grin of the Empress and the tall imposing corridors of the palace seemed to be in the back of her mind, and it was all too easy to sit back and let herself be fed. Isurus even sat up behind Kanaya, and gently rubbed at her shoulders, her sides. 

“Celyra thinks it improves digestion,” the seadweller said into Kanaya’s ear. “I’m not sure, but you seem to enjoy it anyway.” The response came in a soft airy murmur of pleasure, and Isurus giggled. 

Occasionally, one of them brought up another plate of delicacies. Mostly sides or smaller samples of food that Kanaya could not name. Mashed roots, succulent dumplings, the sweet flesh of small crustaceans being a first. It wasn’t a lot by normal standards, but to the jadeblood it was uncountable, and every morsel was gently pushed between her lips, every swallow opening up space for another delicious mouthful. She could scarcely find room to speak, but for once Kanaya didn’t care too. Despite the richness of everything, she didn’t grow sick of it, and only felt her shrunken stomach gradually fill for seemingly the first time in forever. 

True to the purpleblood’s previous word, though, Kanaya could not yet take a huge meal. Soon, she exhaled somewhat over another morsel about to be pushed into her lips, and Celyra stopped. “Are you finished? If you are, don’t worry. You’ve actually done considerably better than I hoped; maybe we’ll get some meat on those bones faster than I previously thought, and we’d all be better off for it, Kanaya,” Celyra smiled. Kanaya herself was surprised to see most of the plates cleared, and the two highbloods neatly stacking them back up on the cart. She felt herself warmed up to her cheeks, and watched them work pretty tiredly. Not utterly immensely stuffed, but enough to feel her gut throb slightly in a fullness that made her tired more than anything. 

“Uh, thank you. You know, for dinner. I hope you know I do appreciate it, despite it being your duty,” Kanaya managed to say. She found her voice a bit slurred from exhaustion, and only half realized Isurus refluffing her pillows and repositioning the jadeblood to actually be able to go under the covers. 

“It’s no problem, dear,” Celyra told her. “Even if it is our job, I can tell you’re going to be a pleasure to work with. We don’t often encounter the humble and, dare I say sweet.” She smiled, and even though the purpleblood sported some intimidating fangs, there was a bit of gentleness to it. 

“Now get some rest, Kanaya. I know you’re already halfway there! Just stay with me one more moment, because I’m going to savor how easy it is to move you still,” Isurus piped up, moving the jadeblood and the covers to gently drape over her. They were warm, but not suffocating, soft and smooth like everything else touching Kanaya’s skin. 

The jadeblood thought she said something else to the handmaidens as they were departing, but found everything on her feeling suddenly very heavy. The lights were turned down, plunging the room in a more comforting dark purple hue. Not much seemed to be different with Kanaya’s eyes opened or closed, so she picked clothes, and took as long as she could to savor her warm full stomach, and the soft fabric encasing her, the most comfortable mattress she’d ever felt. No nightmares would dare disturb her comfort that evening, as she finally drifted off to a pleasant sleep.


End file.
